Today third-party developers showcased a big (literally) helicopter coming for Microsoft Flight Simulator, while a relevant airport has been released.
We start with Militech Simulations, which released new screenshots and details of the famous Boeing CH-47 Chinook tandem-rotor helicopter, including the first look at the exterior, cabin, and external loads.
The helicopter is now flyable and nearly complete, with the final implementation of some”special features” still missing.
It’ll include 16 liveries: RCAF, RAF, US Army, Spanish Army, RAAF, JGSDF, NASA, Firefighting, and more. Weathering is being applied since the Chinook isn’t exactly a helicopter that is kept squeaky clean.
The following loads will be supported:
Cargo Bay:
- Humvee
- Troops
- Troops + MedVac
- Cargo Pallets
- Special Ops Rhib
External Sling Loaded (dual cable)
- Humvee
- Double Humvee (Internal + External)
- Large Rhib
- UAV Container
External Sling (single Cable)
- Water Bucket (for firefighting Ops) – functional within missions
- UH60 Helicopter Fuselage
- Cargo Pallets (for VERTREPs)
The package will come with around 20 missions including firefighting, military ops, rescue, and heavy cargo transport scenarios. We also hear some details about what we can expect in terms of autopilot:
This is probably the most complex (and most frequently asked) feature… MSFS does not support any kind of Autopilot on helicopters, and in general, developing an autopilot system is incredibly difficult. Rudimentary versions of HDG Hold and Alt Hold are currently implemented but are far from perfect and lacking roll/speed/pitch control. We are still unsure to what extent the AFCS System will be implemented prior to initial release – At minimum it would be a 2-DOF system (HDG+Alt), and at maximum a full 4-DOF system (though this may not be available on initial release).
There is currently no release date and the price will be in the mid $30 range. The developers confirmed that the helicopter is coming to both PC and Xbox and they’re considering a simultaneous release.
Next, we move on to a release, and it’s a big one, Drzewiecki Design’s King County International Airport (KBFI) also known as Boeing Field near Seattle, United States. Of course, it includes the attached Boeing factory.
For now, it’s available only on Simmarket, but it should come to the developer’s other partner shops soon. It’s priced at $17.36 promising the following perks:
- A high-quality model of KBFI Boeing Field, featuring the up-to-date version with extensive details throughout the whole airport
- FPS-friendly design, with epic night textures, dynamic lighting and PBR materials, high-definition mesh
- Performance-friendly interior modeling at buildings, hangars, and control towers, high-quality static aircraft, custom animations, custom animated jetways, custom sounds
- Fully compatible with GSX Pro using Cartayna Files
This is all for today’s Microsoft Flight Simulator news. As usual, do keep in mind that we publish daily updates to keep you appraised of what happens in this dynamic industry, so please remember to visit often.
